Recently completed projects

ESA-STSE CryoSat GLITter Project

Description The GLITter (Grounding Line Ice Thickness) project is an international collaboration between five institutions and is supported by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Support To Science Element (STSE). GLITter provided new and improved estimates of ice sheet Grounding Line Location (GLL), Grounding Line Ice Thickness (GLIT), and Ice Mass Flux (IMF) by exploiting data from CryoSat-2, while establishing a solid scientific basis for the development of novel retrieval methods and prototype products.

Greenland Ice Sheet Climate Change Initiative (CCI) Phase 1

Description The CCI Ice Sheets project aims to maximize the impact of ESA satellite data on climate research by analysing data from missions such as ERS, Envisat, CryoSat, GRACE and the Sentinel satellites. The project produced data on following parameters: surface elevation change; ice velocity; calving front location, grounding line location and gravimetry mass balance.

CPOM role Project scientist and work package leader. Lead for the surface elevation change product.

ESA-STSE CryoSat Cryotop

Description CryoTop is part of ESA’s Support to Science Element (STSE). The Glacier and Ice Sheet Margin Topography (CryoTop) project provided new and improved measurements of topography in regions which are typically hard to measure, such as high mountain glaciers and ice sheet margins, by exploiting data from CryoSat-2. The project delivered important new scientific results while establishing a solid scientific basis for the development of novel retrieval methods and prototype products.

Outcomes Provision of new and improved measurements of topography in regions which are typically hard to measure, such as high mountain glaciers and ice sheet margins, by exploiting data from the CryoSat-2 (CS2) mission. Delivered requirements baseline document, data set user manual, algorithm theoretical basis document, product validation document and products themselves, impact assessment report and scientific road map. Two papers are being prepared for submission. ESA agreed all work in project was successfully completed and closed project.

NOAA Arctic Gravity Models

Partners National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

CPOM role Proposal and completion of project on Arctic gravity models using airborne data from NASA & NRL.

Start date 2014

End date 2014

Outcomes Project produced findings on the real-world performance of global gravity models in the Arctic which will be applicable to e.g. oceanographers. NOAA is keen to continue work in this area in the future, producing a regional set of high resolution gravity data in the Arctic by combining multiple data sources.